We took a picture and headed to a good nursery, during a slow time. Show pictures, describe needs/wants, and advise budget to a consultant. Our person walked around with us and made recommendations for free. Another benefit was a discussion around needs/maintenance and their size when fully grown.

I’d suggest you look at Piet Oudolph garden designs for inspiration. He’s excellent with year round interest. Then make sure you add some clumping natives. Roy Diblik has a book called Know Maintenance Gardening. He assisted Piet with the Lurie Garden in Chicago.

Not many perennials keep their color or leaves in the winter in Zone 5 Evergreens arw a perfect addition to any garden . I agree a trip to a good garden center and one with a lanscape designer on staff is ideal. I also suggest you buy a book on lanscaping in your area. Just for reference I love this for a simple but effective landscape design for a very modern home .I use it ofetn for inspiration for clients . My big issue with your space is the huge amount of concrete

You've got 2 great walls to use as a backdrop. Consider some tall containers in a row on each wall. The key is repeating the same urn/planters along the walls. Follow your nursery's suggestions regarding which plants to use.

To me, modern landscape design isn't about funky planters. It's about clean lines, repeated patterns, sharply clipped hedges, and orderly, geometric plantings.

So with that in mind - I would remove the turf and enlarge the bed in front of the blank wall on the left to fill it. I would repeat one line of uniform plantings along the back of that bed. I might do a row of tall panicle hydrangea in back which will pop against the dark siding in summer. In front, I'd do ornamental grasses or alternatively boxwood in a linear or diagonal pattern. I'd repeat the same basic design in front of the garage. For the area below the front door landing, I'd probably do a clipped holly hedge for a clean, geometric look, but that's because I don't love the stone. You could add definition to the bed edges with a stone or metal edging.

I would definitely not add hardscaping - it looks like your driveway takes up a big chunk of the yard as it is. If you want to change the existing hardscaping, that's another question.

I would then add one container at the bottom of the steps and one by the front door, where I'd plant annuals. I do not like planting perrenials or evergreens in containers - it's a lot more maintenance and they do not perform as well, especially in climates with big temperature swings. And good containers cost a few hundred dollars or up to a couple thousand each, depending on size and material, so they will quickly double or triple your landscaping spend.

Te problem with ubiform plantings they grow at different rates and end up not uniform. That'a why i suggested planters. Trees andhedges take alot of aintence and if one dies it''s not easily replaced. Yes goosd large planters are cistly, but landscaping is costly when done right. It's about a person's preferences. If you have harsh winters you can plant smaller evergreens surround them with blooming flowers for the warmer months, Again check with a respected nursery for professional local advie.